The Curated Cool: Vision Is Seen In The Doing

What is your vision? Four simple words that continue to send shockwaves down the spines of the burly and eloquent alike because, how does one begin to articulate, in simple words, what is locked away in the depths of the most vulnerable and precious corners of one’s mind? While it is necessary to do this eloquently enough that anyone engaging with what you are doing can get a sense of its essence, it is as important to show it as well. That is the cornerstone of the new, curated lifestyle experience, The Curated Cool, by Project Fable and Marvin.

The first edition of the quarterly experience took place at the exclusive members-only Mesh Club on the new and increasingly popular Keyes Art Mile on 18 November 2017.

Conceptualised and driven by Executive Curator, Gerrard Foster, from Project Fable, The Curated Cool was born out of the observation that brands are all competing for share of attention and the wallet of the same consumer, but have not found ways to differentiate themselves or find the audiences that will resonate with them – essentially, people whose cool vibrations are on the same wavelength as theirs.

The Curated Cool is designed to serve as a conduit between the brand and its audience by creating resonance. It is about the community being able to actively experience the brand and what it stands for, as opposed to merely seeing it on shelves and through its advertising.

Each experience is themed and the launch event’s theme was tied to Vision. Vision is at the core of life. Each of us wakes up every day and tackles the world with the desire to manifest our particular Vision of our lives.

Vision is the one common thread that weaves through differing individuals and shared vision is the foundation of collaboration, which is what was at the heart of The Curated Cool, Episode 1 and the various brands that showcased.

While brands such as Chepa Streetwear, Homeation, Dita Eyewear, Naked Face Breweries, Bi-pparel, Young Blood Apparel, Aderonbi Culture and Furniturespot are inherently different, their shared vision of wanting to reach people brought them together in the exhibition of their cool.

According to Foster, “this experience has curated brands and stories of brands whose vision to effect change, whether an individual, an industry, a community or the world, and we celebrate that vision.”

So, what is cool?

Merriam Webster’s definition of its colloquial usage has it simply as “fashionable” – another contentious term that, at its core, is chameleonic and subjective.

For decades, the understanding of the term cool has changed from being the unconventional and outstanding to being the new status quo.

With the elevation of what was typically considered avant-garde and atypical, the idea of cool continued to grow into a somewhat misunderstood concept.

For Gerrard Foster, cool lies somewhere outside of the mainstream, and trendy but still “in the context of popular culture for the more discerning individual.”

The reality is that what is cool is whatever you believe it to be and what, occasionally, a collective of people happen to have an agreed understanding of cool.

The experience was co-hosted by Foster himself and his co-founder of Project Fable, writer and media consultant Kojo Baffoe and involved the showcasing of various clothing and accessory brands in the curated space, draped in signature art pieces, as well as live performances from afro-fusion band ColourBlind and singer and comedian Tracey-Lee Oliver.

Through different adaptations of the concept Vision, The Curated Cool, the manifestation of Vision in itself, made visible the previously invisible through the curated experience, illustrating that the true sight of vision is found through doing.

“Vision without action is merely a dream; action without vision merely passes time but vision with action, can change the world,”

– Joel A. Barker.

Follow @thecuratedcool to find out more details about the next instalment of the Curated Cool and how you can be showcase your vision and your cool.